Google Chrome extensions must be hosted in Chrome Store from January

Google has alerted developers that extensions for its Google Chrome web browser must be hosted by the Chrome Web Store from January.

Google claims it is enforcing this policy in response to complaints from Windows users about malicious extensions that bypass the typical installation prompt and silently install, usually making changes to browser settings such as the homepage or search engines.

"Since these malicious extensions are not hosted on the Chrome Web Store, it's difficult to limit the damage they can cause to our users," wrote Erik Kay, Engineering Director, on the Chromium Blog.

"Starting in January on the Windows stable and beta channels, we'll require all extensions to be hosted in the Chrome Web Store. We'll continue to support local extension installs during development as well as installs via Enterprise policy, and Chrome Apps will also continue to be supported normally."

Kay explains that developers can choose to keep their extensions hidden on the Web Store if they like, but that protecting Chrome users is a key priority.

they want people to stop using youtube download extensions, working ones seem to get removed from the store. i'd rather have the ability to sideload, it's rather convoluted now as it is, to be able do so. now people will have to write hacks that enable you to use hacks. seems kind of stupid for an open source browser